Correction: Former NFL Wide Receiver Mike Williams on Life Support, Not Dead
CORRECTION September 6, 2023, 6:20pm ET: Originally this article incorrectly reported the death of former NFL wide receiver Mike Williams. Multiple other outlets reported the same, including Fox News, The Washington Post, and NBC Sports.
Since those reports, however, Williams’ family has clarified that he is still on life support. We apologize to Williams and his family for the error and offer our thoughts and prayers for healing and comfort.
Mike Williams, a former NFL standout wide receiver and a man who was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award in 2010, was reported dead at the age of 36.
Jon Scott of Spectrum News in New York first reported Williams’ death on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday evening.
“Multiple sources have confirmed to me that former Syracuse and #Bills WR Mike Williams has passed away following injuries suffered during an accident while working at a construction site,” Scott posted.
He added, “The Buffalo native was 36 years old.”
Multiple sources have confirmed to me that former Syracuse and #Bills WR Mike Williams has passed away following injuries suffered during an accident while working at a construction site.
The Buffalo native was 36 years old.
— Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) September 6, 2023
A GoFundMe account set up for Williams’ father Wendell Muhammad offered details about what happened.
“My son played in the NFL from 2010 to 2014 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his hometown team, the Buffalo Bills,” Muhammad said.
He added, “Mike Williams recently had a major accident at work. A [steel] beam fell on his head causing a massive head injury. As a result of this accident, there was swelling on his brain and swelling on his spinal cord that was ruptured.”
Williams’ father said the injuries sustained in the accident caused him to experience “complete paralysis” in one arm as well as in his lower body “from the waist down.”
The former wide receiver lost consciousness on Sept.1 and never woke up in spite of the best efforts of doctors, Muhammad said.
Williams’ father was seeking financial assistance to travel to Tampa to see his son in the hospital.
The page has not been updated since it was announced the former player had died.
Williams grew up in Buffalo, New York, and played his college career at Syracuse. From 2006 to 2009 he played in 29 games and recorded 133 receptions.
He left the university for the 2010 NFL Draft after recording an impressive 20 career receiving touchdowns.
The school said of Williams, “Williams was the top receiver on the football team. His freshman year he led the team in receptions. He was significantly better his sophomore season, tying the Syracuse season record for receptions with 60. He was named the football team MVP that season, along with earning second-team All-Big East football honors.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him in the fourth round and he played four seasons with the team.
Williams’ former teammate Gerald McCoy posted about his death on X late Tuesday night.
“Dang man hurts my heart seeing the news of my former teammate and Buccaneers 2010 draft class brother Mike Williams,” McCoy wrote.
He concluded, “Always great energy, brought joy and laughter to the locker room and a heck of a player!! Prayers and blessings to his family!!”
Dang man hurts my heart seeing the news of my former teammate and Buccaneers 2010 draft class brother Mike Williams. Always great energy, brought joy and laughter to the locker room and a heck of a player!! Prayers and blessings to his family!! 🙏🏾😔
— Gerald McCoy (@Geraldini93) September 6, 2023
Williams was traded to his hometown Buffalo Bills for the 2014 season, which was his last in the league.
He played in 63 games in an NFL career in which he caught 223 passes for 26 touchdowns, according to ESPN.
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